Many topical antiperspirant products are commercially available in a variety of formulations and product forms. These products typically contain a solid and/or liquid carrier in combination with an antiperspirant active such as an aluminum and/or zirconium salt. These aluminum and zirconium salts are used in almost every commercial antiperspirant product and have been used in this manner for decades.
Antiperspirant actives help to reduce or eliminate perspiration on the underarm or other areas of the skin. It is believed that these antiperspirant actives work by dissolving in sweat after application, diffusing as a dissolved material into the sweat ducts, and then precipitating in the sweat ducts to form a plug that then inhibits the flow of perspiration. It is believed that aluminum and zirconium salts work in this manner.
Today, commercially viable antiperspirant actives are limited mostly to the zirconium and aluminum salts. Other alternative actives have been investigated for antiperspirant efficacy over the years with very little practical success. Examples of such alternative actives include anticholinergics, antiadrenergics, aldehydes, and metabolic inhibitors such as oubain.
Still other alternative antiperspirant actives include water-insoluble, occlusive, film-forming polymers when applied topically to the skin. Examples of such antiperspirant polymers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,024, issued to Frank Tranner on Apr. 16, 1996. The application of these water-insoluble, polymeric films, however, often results in poor wash-off and application cosmetics. It has also been found that the application of these films does not always improve antiperspirant efficacy as compared to the application of commercially available antiperspirant products containing conventional zirconium and aluminum salts.
It has now been found that water-reactive monomers can be used as alternative antiperspirant actives to those actives currently available or otherwise known in the art. It has also been found that these water-reactive monomers can provide improved antiperspirant efficacy and/or cosmetics, especially when compared to the application of the antiperspirant polymers described hereinabove. These water-reactive monomers are formulated in an anhydrous base and applied topically to the underarm or other area of the skin. The topically applied monomers react with sweat and polymerize at the opening of the sweat ducts to form small polymeric plugs at the surfaces of the ducts, thus inhibiting or preventing the flow of perspiration from the affected ducts.
The topical application of water-reactive monomers has not previously been described in the context of antiperspirant products. These water-reactive monomers are, however, well known in the various arts for formulating topical adhesives and occlusive barrier films. Application of these formulations has been described primarily in the context of surgical wound adhesives, topically applied occlusive films and other similar applications.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide alternative antiperspirant compositions and antiperspirant actives to those which are currently available or otherwise known in the art. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such alternative compositions and antiperspirant actives through the use and application of water-reactive monomers contained by or within a suitable anhydrous carrier, and further to provide such alternative compositions and actives with improved antiperspirant efficacy and/or cosmetics.